Benefits for Education and Participation; How to Apply

Through benefits for education and participation, children, adolescents, and young adults from low-income families have the opportunity to take advantage of school and recreational programs they otherwise could not afford, thereby gaining better educational and developmental opportunities.

Benefits for education and participation include:

Field trips and multi-day school trips

The actual costs of one-day school field trips and multi-day trips conducted in accordance with school regulations are covered in full, provided all eligibility requirements are met. The same applies to one-day field trips and multi-day trips for children who attend a daycare center or for whom daycare benefits are provided.

Personal school supplies

Students receive a subsidy of 195 EUR for school supplies (e.g., school backpacks, gym clothes, and writing, math, and art supplies) in the calendar year 2026. Personal school supplies are adjusted annually by the same percentage as the standard allowance.

Student Transportation

For students who rely on school transportation to attend the nearest school offering their chosen educational program, the actual expenses incurred for this purpose are taken into account, provided that the transportation costs are not covered elsewhere. In Bavaria, school transportation may also be covered, in particular, by the regulations regarding free transportation to school (see “Related Topics”). A standard copayment is not required.

Learning Support

Students receive appropriate learning support to the extent that it supplements school-based programs and is both suitable and additionally necessary to achieve the essential learning objectives. It is not mandatory for the student’s promotion to the next grade to be at risk. The prerequisite is that school-based programs, which must be utilized as a first resort, are insufficient. The need for learning support can be confirmed, for example, by the school.

Lunch

For each child eligible for benefits, the costs of participating in communal lunch service at school, in a daycare center, or in family daycare are covered. No copayment is required from the child per lunch.

Support for Participation in Cultural, Sports, Recreational, Social, and Leisure Activities

Until they turn 18, children and adolescents eligible for benefits receive at least 15 EUR per month to cover expenses such as membership fees or equipment costs when attending a sports club or music school. The participation budget can be saved to a limited extent.

In Erlangen, educational and participation benefits (e.g., for field trips, school trips, lunch, etc.) for children, adolescents, and young adults are approved and processed through the so-called BuT account (www.but-konto.de). To use this service, parents must submit an application for their children to the Central Office for Education and Participation / ErlangenPass.

Service providers (e.g., schools, daycare centers, caterers, clubs, tutoring centers) need the child’s ErlangenPass number for billing purposes. As a service provider, please refer to the instructions in the manuals.

Children, adolescents, and young adults up to age 25 are eligible for benefits for education and participation (except for benefits to support participation in cultural, sports, recreational, social, and leisure activities—the age limit for those is 18 years), who cannot cover their educational and participation needs from their own income and assets or their family’s income and assets, and who are therefore entitled to basic income support for job seekers or social assistance (or are not entitled solely because all needs except those for education and participation are already covered), or are entitled to benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, or whose families receive the child supplement or housing allowance.

Regarding the assessment of the specific eligibility requirements for individual education and participation benefits, we recommend contacting the responsible agency directly.

Basic Income Support for Job Seekers

If you have already submitted a “basic application” for basic income support for job seekers, you do not need to submit a separate application for educational and participation benefits—with the exception of educational support benefits.

In this case, you can informally request educational and participation benefits at the Job Center responsible for your place of residence, or at the independent city or district office. The required supporting documents must be submitted. A separate application must be filed for educational support benefits.

If you have not yet received any basic income support benefits for job seekers, you must submit an application.

Benefits Under Social Assistance

A prior application is required for all benefits in the education and participation package—with the exception of school supplies. A separate application must also be submitted for learning support benefits. Applications are submitted to the social assistance agency responsible for your place of residence (independent city or district office).

Benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act (AsylbLG)

A prior application is required for all benefits under the Education and Participation Package—with the exception of school supplies. A separate application must also be submitted for learning support benefits. Applications must be submitted to the local agency responsible for AsylbLG benefits in your place of residence (independent city or district office).

Child Supplement and Housing Allowance

If you receive a child supplement or housing allowance, you must submit a separate application for education and participation benefits. The application can be submitted informally, e.g., by email.

In this case, the application must be submitted to the locally responsible county administrative office or the locally responsible independent city.

Claims for benefits under the Education and Participation Package for recipients of basic income support for job seekers must be filed within the current approval period.

In general, a prior application is required for all benefits under the Education and Participation Package provided as part of social assistance and under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act—with the exception of school supplies.

Claims for benefits under the Education and Participation Package for families receiving the child supplement or housing allowance expire 12 months after the end of the calendar month in which they arose.

• Required documents:
  
  • invoices, receipts, and other supporting documents, if applicable
  • a certificate from the school, if applicable

  The responsible office will inform you of any additional documents that may be required.

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